Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market #1)

Finished: January 2024
Book Source: Library
Book Publication Date: July 2022

Two cousins who start a food stall at their local night market get a serving of murder in this first novel of a delicious new cozy mystery series by Jennifer J. Chow, author of Mimi Lee Gets a Clue.

When Yale Yee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to play tour guide to a relative she hasn’t seen in twenty years. Not only that, but her father thinks it’s a wonderful idea for them to bond by running a food stall together at the Eastwood Village Night Market. Yale hasn’t cooked in years, and she hardly considers Celine’s career as a social media influencer as adequate experience, but because she’s just lost her job at her local bookstore, she feels she has no choice.

Yale and Celine serve small dishes and refreshing drinks, and while business is slow, it eventually picks up thanks to Celine’s surprisingly useful marketing ideas. They’re quite shocked that their bubble tea, in particular, is a hit–literally–when one of their customers turns up dead. Yale and Celine are prime suspects due to the gold flakes that Celine added to the sweet drink as a garnish. Though the two cousins are polar opposites in every way, they must work together to find out what really happened to the victim or the only thing they’ll be serving is time.

Characters

• Yale – Doesn’t own a cell phone! Was just let go from her job at the book store
• Celine – has a large instagram presence, almost the exact opposite of Yale

My Review

I read this book as part of the Cozy Mystery Book Club Instagram yearly reads.

This book offers a refreshing twist on the cozy mystery genre with its vibrant setting and unique premise. The characters are quirky and relatable. The story gradually builds momentum but the pacing seemed too slow at times.

The vivid descriptions of delicious Chinese foods made me want to go get some food immediately!.

I enjoyed the humor interspersed within the novel. The ending felt a little abrupt but overall is a light and enjoyable read, perfect for fans of cozy mysteries looking for a book focused more on family dynamics than romance.